Another hoax claims Queen Elizabeth II is dead, that’s not true
If your time is short
- News of Queen Elizabeth II’s death is a perennial hoax that may fool more people the older she gets. But make no mistake: Buckingham Palace announced on Feb. 20 that she tested positive for COVID-19 — not that she died.
A Feb. 17 Facebook post that wrongly declared “Queen Elizabeth dead” is gaining new traction after Buckingham Palace reported that Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19.
The post was flagged as part of Facebook’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Facebook.)
There’s no evidence to support the claim that the 95-year-old queen has died.
On Feb. 20, Buckingham Palace said that the queen was experiencing “mild coldlike symptoms” but that she expected to continue “light duties.”
This isn’t the first hoax about her death.
In 2018 and 2021, we fact-checked claims that she was dead. Both were wrong, and so is this claim.
We rate it False.
Our Sources
Facebook post, Feb. 17, 2022
The New York Times, Queen Elizabeth Tests Positive for Coronavirus, as England Is Poised to Relax Rules, Feb. 20, 2022
PolitiFact, No, Queen Elizabeth II is not dead. That's a hoax, May 10, 2018
PolitiFact, No, Queen Elizabeth isn’t dead, Nov. 10, 2021
